Page 43 of An Impossible Love
“This is so much more than that, and you know it. The press will paint Emmy as a gold digger or a whore.” Moxie sighed. “Look, at least give it six months. If you still feel the same—”
“I won’t change my mind, Mox. Put the poll in the field.”
At ten o’clock, Duke came to swap places with him, and Orin went to Emmy. Her smile when she saw him was worth all the grief that Moxie had given him. He kissed Emmy hello.
“Hey, come sit with me.”
He stroked her face gently, wishing he could kiss the bruises on her face away. “In a couple of days, we have to go back to the White House.”
“I know,” Emmy sighed, “and the bubble bursts.”
Orin shook his head. “No. Listen, I want to lay all my cards on the table here and now, Emmy. I love you. I think I’ve been in love with you from the moment I met you. I want to be with you, and I don’t want to hide it.”
Emmy’s eyes filled with tears. “You love me?”
“I do,” Orin smiled at her, “Very much. I think we get each other. With you, I don’t feel the weight of my job or anything else. And, God, I want to make you happy, Emmy Sati and purge that sadness from your lovely eyes. Not that anyone can replace Zach.”
Emmy smiled at him, moved beyond words. “Orin Bennett,” she cupped his face in her palm, “I love you, too. You’ve helped heal me in so many ways. For a long time, I thought it was impossible, the two of us. Now I know tonotbe together is the impossible thing.”
Orin’s smile grew wide across his face. “That’s what I think, too. But, it’s also important to me that your career should not be forfeit.”
“That’s kind, but not realistic.”
She leaned into him, and he breathed in the scent of her hair and her skin, felt the warmth of her body heat. He couldn’t imagine a life without her now, but she was right. Maybe Mox had been right, too. Give it six months.
So, they talked late into the night, planning their secret love affair as best they could, before making love again. When Emmy was asleep, Orin slipped from the cabin and went to wake Mox. “You’re right,” he said. “For Emmy’s sake. We need to wait.”
Moxie, half-asleep, gave him a relieved smile. “Thank God.”
Emmy slept deeply and didn’t waken even when the intruder opened the door to the bedroom, and it gave a loud creak. He stood silently over the sleeping woman, the white sheet tucked around her naked body. God, she really was beautiful. He watched her slumbering for a few moments, wondering what she would do if he woke her, kissed her, made love to her.
Of course, now he knew. Orin Bennett was screwing this little beauty, and from what he had overheard earlier, the president was serious about her.
What a shame Emmy Sati was poking her nose into things she shouldn’t. It meant that all their plans would have to be moved up. Yes, a shame. She had already lost one great love and soon, Emmy Sati would lose another.
Kevin McKee smiled down at the sleeping woman. Maybe afterwards, he could console her the way he wanted to. If not… then maybe Emmy Sati should be ‘encouraged’ to end her pain once and for all.
But what a waste that would be…
